jyc said:
Many thanks for all of your replies...definitely helps ALOT.
I'm quite impressed by this forum and the individuals that populate it...quality, like the car
I'm wondering now between this car at a lower negotiated price, or a new Porsche 911 GT3.
FYI, i intend for this purchase to be a weekend toy w/ a couple of mild track days for fun...and keeping it forever...it being the 3rd car added to my modest collection of a Honda Prelude and e46 M3. My daily driver is a Cayenne S.
Any additional thoughts?
JYC, 82K is just fair. I just bought an 05 with 3700 miles for 72K. There was a dealer recently on e-bay that sold a new 05 (100 miles, untitled) for 76K. These prices I am telling you are a bit on the low side... most have been going for about 80K. I know an owner here that just bought an 05 for 77K. However when I inquired into another at that price, that same dealership would not do it. I would try to get into the high 70's with this one... but... at the very end, you are talking about a car that is hard to find and no longer made. So 2-3K may not be that much of an issue.
Regarding the GT3. I looked long and hard at a new 997, and a barely used 996TT. At the end, I just didn't quite "feel" it with the 911. I personaly am not that fond of the styling (especially the interior), and there are many 911's around. To the average eye, they are all the same. My girlfriend's comment at the porsche dealer: "it looks 80's to me". The NSX still looks very modern, and few people even know what it is. I drive and I hear people ask "what is that thing?" from each other all the time. The GT3 is a FINE vehicle... its pretty hard core. Less comfortable than the NSX... but more performance. A better track car. Its definitely more money...
Regarding depreciation. I must be coming from different experiences than most owners here. I have been dealing with cars whose depreciation is MASSIVE compared to the NSX. My last car was an MB CL600. The NSX, for what it is, is perhaps the lowest depreciating vehicle in its class. For 5 years in a row, the NSX was ranked by intellichoice magazine as #1 lowest cost of ownership in its class of sports car. 911's hold value well too, but the maintenance is far higher than the NSX's. The NSX is terrific when it comes to cost of ownership. Unbeatable.
Don't forget the NSX is a "T", which to me, is great in nice weather. You are not getting that in a GT3 or standard 997. I actually like the Targa better than a full convertible. Its just perfect.
Just some of the cars I looked at before buying my NSX: MB SL55, Maserati Grand Sport (the close second), Aston Martin Vantage V8, 997S, 996TT, new Jag XK, used ferrari Modena. I love the NSX, truly. I have no regrets.
I am shocked to see after the few months I have owned my car, its still worth essentialy the same amount. None of those other cars would be even close. The Aston dealer told me with a straight face that if I want to keep depreciation to an acceptable level, 4K miles per year MAX is what I should put on the thing.
It all comes down to how much "fun" you get with this third car for your dollar. And I see a much better ratio with an NSX-T than with anything else. The car is an absolute BLAST. And you really can drive the thing (a lot) without all the typical worries that come with this class of car.
My thing was HP all the way! till I drove an S2000 and fell in love with Honda's lightweight well balanced ,high revving sportscars. If you've always wanted an NSX I can't imagine how great owning a new one will be for you.
